As the warm spring weather calls us to out to work on our antennas, please remember the caution of using conductors near power lines.
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The victim in the story below apparently didn't even make physical contact with the high voltage line, he just moved a conductor near enough to provide a path to ground.
We need all our memebers, so be careful up there!
PUBLIC SAFETY
Painter who was electrocuted is improving
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
BELLINGHAM — The commercial painter seriously injured earlier this week by a high-voltage shock is expected to come home this weekend, according to friends and family.
Jeffrey Counts, 22, of Glacier was still at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle Friday. He has some short-term memory loss but is expected to make a full recovery, said family friend Linda Tower.
To help Counts remember the incident, his coworkers and family pieced together what happened:
About 10 a.m. Monday, Counts and his boss were moving a metal ladder at a job site in the 1400 block of North Garden Street when a bolt of electricity arched from a hot wire about 8 feet away. The electricity hit the ladder and entered Counts’ body through the middle of his chest. It exited out his left foot, leaving a hole about the size of a quarter.
Counts stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest. His co-workers and a passing volunteer firefighter did CPR until medics arrived.
Copyright 2007, the Bellingham Herald, www.bellinghamherald.com
Posted as Good Faith Fair Use: Transformative, educational, nonprofit use of articles, stories, or essays less than 2,500 words, factual in nature, not for use as entertainment or reward, the use is instructional, the place is non-profit multimedia and the use will not negatively affect the value of the copyrighted material.
SCWIS,
Thanks for posting this. Anyone working with antennae, home maintenance, or anything outside needs this reminder. Also, consider where the line may fall if it breaks. You don't want it to fall on your antenna or feedline so plan your installation accordingly.
There are also dangers which arise from digging to lay wires or radials or daisies. Buried in my front yard is a 3 phase 22,000 Volt distribution line. There is also a 220 Volt service drop to my house. I witnessed a contractor put a backhoe through the distribution line. He was OK but the blast could be heard for blocks away. Plus, he had to pay for the repair of the line.
Don't bet your life that you know where or how deep such lines are located. Installations are not always done according to code and even utilities location services make mistakes.
Neil
Also prepare yourself when climbing any tower, pole or structure by knowing what safety equipment should be used and how to use it properly. Sadly, we read of fellow hams and even professional steeplejacks who were killed or injured in a fall. It can happen to anyone, anywhere and any time.
Make sure of legal access and liability insurance, check your homeowner's policy.
Stay 30 feet from any power lines and away from each other's fall zones.
Most states have a "call before you dig" law. Repairing a 1000 pair phone cable, an underground power feed or a high pressure gas line may cost more than your home!
Make sure any exposed guy wires are clearly marked, ATV riders can be badly injured or killed by these hazards. Also beware of lightning safety, lightning can strike up to 10 miles away from a thunderstorm in blue sky conditions.
Even a near strike can be bad if you are in contact with antenna components, BT, DT! OUCH! Check the weather first!
Basically, be smart and safe. We need you all alive here...
Regards, Lee
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The Ground is BIG!
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